 The key game
Liverpool v St Etienne, quarter-final second leg AFTER one of the most stirring battles in Liverpool's long history of European competition, they qualified for the semi-final of the European Cup for the first time since 1965 with a tremendous victory over the French champions. Although they opened up the necessary two-goal lead that spelled success in the end, it was a tremendously thorny road, with the French contesting every inch. It was the 20-year-old David Fairclough who was the scoring hero, the lad who, six minutes from the end, achieved what was beginning to look like the impossible task of breaking down the French rearguard for a third time.
 He will never score a more vital goal. He had been brought on in place of Welsh international John Toshack 17 minutes from the end. It was the hard-working Ray Kennedy who won the ball in mid-field that made it all possible. He shrugged off a retrieving tackle and planted the ball firmly behind the French defence. Fairclough was immediately in top gear. He won the challenge for the ball, brought it down and showed the coolness of a veteran in pushing the ball past the advancing Curkovic. There has seldom been sights to rival the excitement shown by this capacity crowd. It was a night of tension, drama, elation, frustration and sheer jubilation, as Liverpool won a tactical battle that stretched them to the limits. They could not have asked for a more uplifting start, for they had wiped out their first-leg deficit inside one minute 42 seconds. The goal began innocuously enough, for, from a short corner by Heighway, Keegan raced forward a few yards and then meticulously chipped over Curkovic standing off his line. A friendly wind helped the ball home - and enthusiasm knew no bounds.
 It was when everybody was wondering how Liverpool could devise a master plan to overcome the French tactics that the reverse - that was an ever present possibility from a mobile and talented team - presented itself.. On 51 minutes, Heighway lost possession and Bathenay, the player who scored St Etienne's goal in the first leg, gained possession 30 yards out and again beat Clemence. Another Liverpool goal looked extremely difficult, two impossible. Then the renowned Liverpool spirit got to work. From Callaghan's cross, Toshack upset the defence with his aerial challenge and the ball ran to Kennedy on the edge of the penalty area. He hit a ground shot that the diving Curkovic could not reach and with 32 minutes still left, the pot was on the boil. The final moments produced sheer pandemonium. It seemed that the Fairclough goal had not only produced the vital margin, but had deflated the French, who last season were defeated finalists. To their credit, St Etienne fought gamely, but once having sunk their teeth decisively into this tie, there was no way Liverpool were going to let go. LIVERPOOL: Clemence, Neal, Jones, Smith, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, Case, Heighway, Toshack, Fairclough, Callaghan. ST ETIENNE: Curkovic, Janvion, Earison, Merchadier (Reveill), Lopez, Bathenay, Rocheteau, Larque, Santini, Synaeghel, Reveill. REFEREE: C G R Cerver (Holland) ATT: 55,043 | 
